A Football Rethink!

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The FA Cup is dying on its arse. The premier league is dominated by a cartel of 6 big clubs and 14 others battling for relevance. Many championship clubs (we are led to believe) have massively overspent and are embargoed creating a self-perpetuating stagnation. The Champions League has created dominant power houses across European leagues (I can remember PSV and Red Star Belgrade winning the European Cup).

So what if? My pal's thinking akin to the Nations League solution to moribund international football:

Here's some left field ideas.

1) Reinstate the Cup Winners Cup as a two leg knockout tournament and allow national and league cup winners to compete (a lot of countries have two knockout cups)2) Abolish parachute payments instead pay the total amount each year to all EFL clubs. Divided based on final position.3) Europa League to revert to the UEFA Cup; two legged knockout until the quarters, then a two group tournament (unseeded draw) - top two teams in both groups go to semis.4) FA Cup, much as I'd like to see unlimited replays return this truly is an anachronism now. Semis not at Wembley is an absolute must. Point 1 might help restore some magic too.5) Create a European Super League of 20 teams top 4 go into play offs; bottom 4 relegated.6) Either bin the Champions League, scale it back or return it to its old format.

I think the reason it's probably not going to change is because the current model probably lines the pockets of a few people.

I really would like to see the elite clubs, feck off into a league of their own.It will lower the wages for the rest of the teams as TV money will no longer be the holy grail, clubs will have to make do with local players, pay them from sponsorship, advertising revenue and money on the gate, and success will be driven by the results on the pitch as it is in non-league now.

The football might have been shit in the 70s and 80s, but it was a working class sport with very few pretentions (as it is in non league now)

I've been down to watch Coalville a few times this season and it is as football was in the 70s/80s. A pie and a pint, bit of banter with the rival fans, shit football, a dog on the pitch and a pint in the bar with the goalie after the game.

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I like a few of those ideas but the trouble is football as a whole is very corporate now (even in non league with Salford who have completely lost their identity). Players interviews are now scripted so they cannot express any passion.

Broadcasters are over eager to broadcast too many games in this country at short notice and fuck the going fans completely, there should be 1 live game each league each weekend with 6 weeks notice to clubs.

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Cup winners cup is a none brainer, the competition that made the most sense other than the European cup was the cup winners cup. A Competition for each European domestic cup winner makes the tournament more relevant.

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1) Reinstate the Cup Winners Cup as a two leg knockout tournament and allow national and league cup winners to compete (a lot of countries have two knockout cups)

Agree with that

On 25/01/2019 at 23:11, The Realist said:

3) Europa League to revert to the UEFA Cup; two legged knockout until the quarters, then a two group tournament (unseeded draw) - top two teams in both groups go to semis.

Agree with that

On 25/01/2019 at 23:11, The Realist said:

4) FA Cup, much as I'd like to see unlimited replays return this truly is an anachronism now. Semis not at Wembley is an absolute must. Point 1 might help restore some magic too.

Main point here imo is regards the semis. Personally I think holding both semis took away a bit of the magic of winning a semi knowing you are then going to play the final at the National Stadium. It's the same in Scotland & quite often, if you get 'smaller' teams competing against each other the stadium has huge gaps in the stands due to a lack of fans. Part of the problem in England is that a lot of the top clubs don't seem to be really interested and play weakened teams when facing lower league clubs but obviously that gives the lower league teams more of a chance of progressing but I'd 'imagine' that fans of the big teams won't be pleased.

On 25/01/2019 at 23:11, The Realist said:

6) Either bin the Champions League, scale it back or return it to its old format.

Been advocating that for years....League Champions only...no 2nd, 3rd or 4th placed teams....no seeding...straight knock out. However due to the cash involved that will never be considered. Oh....& rename it...The European Cup....that would be original !